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Read: Mark 3:22-27
Listen: Mark 3

So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.” Mark 3:23-24

Jesus communicates with parables because they both reveal and conceal. On the one hand, parables reveal information about the kingdom of God to those who are interested and willing to listen well and think deeply. On the other hand, parables conceal information from those who are unwilling to listen or think deeply. Jesus challenges his listeners to have eyes to see and ears to hear (Matthew 11:15). Jesus knows those who spend time with his words will grow to understand his teachings.

Avoiding distraction poses a great challenge for us to follow Jesus and thrive as his disciples, especially in our fragmented, digital age. More information and entertainment are available to us than ever before. We can easily drown in information and entertainment overload. Distractions like mindless scrolling on our smartphones, excessive time on social media, binge-watching shows or just unnecessary notifications can be a major hindrance to following Jesus. Whatever the culprit, we can become distracted and miss the deeper spiritual life Jesus offers. Living intentionally requires conscious thought, discipline and self-control.

 TODAY:  Silence and solitude can be helpful disciplines for overcoming the noise and distraction of this world. If we are going to grow, we need to spend undistracted time with God and his Word. If you would like some help thinking deeper about God and his Word, especially this sermon, check out our latest episode of the Beyond the Weekend Podcast today.